Friday, February 13, 2015

Germany and France ‘Sacrificed Ukraine’ for National Economic Interests, European Parliament Vice President Says

Paul
Goble

Staunton, February 13 – In what
Vladimir Putin may see as an additional benefit and others as collateral
damage, the Minsk accords have deepened splits within the European Union, with
European Parliament Vice President Ryszard Czarnecki saying that the German and
French leaders “sacrificed” Ukraine at Munich for the economic interests of
their own countries.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and
French President Francois Hollande, “without the participation of the EU and
promoting the economic interests of their own countries, have sacrificed Ukraine,”
Czarnecki says, legitimating Russia’s “achievements” and creating a world more
beneficial to Moscow than to Kyiv (kontrakty.ua/article/84676).

In other comments, the Polish and
European politician says that it is unfortunately the case that some European
countries “would like to have peace at any price,” something they may have
achieved in the short run by their concessions at Minsk but not something that
is likely to last for long.

On the one hand, Czarnecki says, the
pro-Moscow militants in southeastern Ukraine with continuing Russian backing
are likely to try to seize even more territory and undermine Ukrainian
statehood. And on the other, Kyiv will have no choice but to try to block them
whatever the Minsk accords say.

By insisting on the negotiating
arrangements in Minsk, Putin not only excluded the US, legitimated his agents
in Ukraine, but has divided Europe still further, an amazing Russian achievement but
one that the leaders of Germany and France in large measure facilitated, something that
Ukrainians and all people of good will should never forget.